MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake is looking to move ahead on a couple water projects expected to increase flow and efficiency in the system.

City staff is nearing completion of plans and specifications for the Division Street Lift Station Improvement Project, which Municipal Services Director Gary Harer said will include new hardware in the wet well, new above ground electrical system, a new generator, bypass port, bypass chute and a concrete pad for parking a maintenance vehicle.

The Moses Lake City Council authorized staff last week to advertise the estimated $275,000 project for bids.

"This has been needing to be done for a number of years now and now we've prepared the plans and specifications and are hoping to get it done in 2012," Harer told council.

Council authorized staff to solicit bids on a water main project estimated to have construction costs of about $750,000. The project includes replacing 1,300 feet of 8-inch steel water pipe main along Alder Street and Third Avenue, installing 9,200 feet of 12-inch water pipe along Randolph Drive and installing 2,600 feet of 12-inch water main along Beacon Road.

The Alder Street pipe is brittle and broke a couple times in the past few years, Harer explained; adding it will be replaced with PVC.

"What is the life expectancy on that PVC? I know we have it everywhere," Mayor Bill Ecret asked.

"I'm not sure if they've ever come up with a life expectancy but it would be in the range of 75 to 100 years," Harer replied.

Replacing the pipe along Beacon Road will increase flows and provide redundancy for future expansion in the area of Longview Elementary School , Harer said. The replacement along Randolph Drive will meanwhile increase flows in the Port of Moses Lake area.

"I know this is something the port is anxious to get done and so it's just one more step," Councilman Jon Lane said. "I know we're building a water reservoir out there to service a similar area, so there's some good things happening out there."